Tumor cell analysis using aptamers and microfluidic systems

Methods described herein include receiving data from flowing a plurality of aptamers over a sample of tumor cells randomly affixed to a surface of a microfluidic device. The tumor cells may include one or more unknown tumor subtypes of cells. The plurality of aptamers may include a plurality of aptamer families. Each aptamer family of the plurality of aptamer families may be determined to bind to at least one possible subtype of the tumor cells. The data may include a measure of binding affinity of each aptamer family to the tumor cells. The method may include analyzing the measure of the binding affinity of each aptamer family to the tumor cells. The analyzing may include classifying the binding affinity. The method may also include determining one or more aptamer families that characterize the one or more unknown tumor subtypes of cells based on the classifying.